Some characters first appear with most or all of their identifying traits withheld from the other characters and the audience. They likely won't be greeted by other characters as friend/lover/family/colleague/boss. Their faces and forms are often hidden in shadow or actual disguise. Their very presence may go unnoticed by some or all of the other characters. Yet they keep appearing: the author repeatedly mentions them in the text; the camera focuses on them and follows their actions. The audience (and perhaps one or more of the characters) is wondering, "Who are you?" That's the point.

Mysterious Protector - A secretive figure who appears in a moment of need, aids the hero(ine), and then vanishes again; the aid is often overt, such as repelling a physical attack or directly offering a word of advice or encouragement.

Mysterious Waif - A child who has suffered hardship or loss or is otherwise rendered helpless. Often orphaned or otherwise cut off from family or some other caretaker.

Mysterious Watcher - An unknown person seen watching the protagonists, usually from the background.

Mysterious Woman - A woman, usually sexy or otherwise attractive, who knows more than she reveals.

Mr. A. H from The Night Circus. We learn nothing about him other than 1) He wears grey suits and, 2) He's eerily good at avoiding death and making it look coincidental.

The aptly-named character Anonemuss in The Avatar Chronicles. All we know for sure about him is that he was exiled for having committed some unknown act of violence (which on New Earth can be as minor as slapping someone), and that he has an "ends justify the means" mentality. His real identity isn't known, and even his game avatar, which is all we see of him, is mysterious (in Epic, it's a dark elf, which is a strange choice since his character wouldn't be allowed in the game's cities). By the end of the trilogy, the other characters, and the reader, trust him, but we still have no idea who he is or what his motivations are.

Strider first appears in The Fellowship of the Ring as a grungy, creepy, weatherbeaten stranger, cloaked with his face hidden, watching the hobbits from a shadowy corner. It's ambiguous whose side he's on or what he wants, the innkeeper doesn't trust him at all, and it rapidly becomes alarming how much he knows about Frodo's secret business. Frodo can only trust him on a leap of faith. He becomes a main character of the Fellowship, an invaluable ally.

Mr. Rabbit in Rainbows End. He's hired by the international team attempting to track down the "You Gotta Believe Me" virus, but it's clear from the beginning that he has an agenda of his own. After he makes contact with Robert Gu, Robert actually begins referring to him as Mysterious Stranger.

Live Action TV

Midway through the first season of Once Upon a Time, a stranger rides into town on a motorcycle. For several episodes we know next to nothing about him, not even his name. He eventually identifies himself as August Booth, and for some reason he knows about the Fairy Tale world. Turns out he's actually from it. He's really Pinocchio.

Angel in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, for the first series or so at least, mysteriously follows her and advises her, though Buffy is aware from the start that he is a vampire. Later on, he occasionally fights against her, too.

The perk "Mysterious Stranger" in the Fallout series causes a gun-toting Badass to appear at random and lend you aid.

The Master of Whispers in Guild Wars. Is first introduced talking to some other conspirators only, with lots of information kept secret. After a few missions, you find out much more about him.

In StarCraft: Brood War Samir Duran at first presents himself as a Terran rebelling against the Terran Domion and allies himself with UED. Later on he is shown to working with Kerrigan and the Protoss. The character has fueled many rumors.

The man in black from the "I Know You" questline in Red Dead Redemption. He knows about things he couldn't possibly have been there to see, some of his dialogue implies that he may be God, Satan, or possibly The Grim Reaper, and your last meeting with him takes place on the hill where John and Abigail are later buried.

Referenced in Knights of the Old Republic when Ajuur the Hutt makes this your professional name in the duel arena on Taris. The announcer describes you as having no past and no name. Foreshadowing much?

Replies: 59

Your reply:

Five hats means that five tropers think it is ready to publish.

You are saying that you think this draft is ready to be published. That means the description is not ambiguous,
it doesn't duplicate an existing trope, there are at least three examples, and the title makes sense.

Is that what you meant to do?

You are saying this draft has a ready-to-publish hat it does not deserve and you are taking it back.

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